Daemons Are A Girl's Best Friend
by tzaine
Summary: After WWBC before BMS. Rachel get cursed twice and fights demons and undead vampires.
1. Chapter 1

Ivy has a run from Rynn to shutdown whatever operation an undead and his witch scion have going on. Rachel stays at the church replenishing her charm inventory. Apparently the undead was keeping a people farm; his scion made charms to disguise his undead appearance to lull people into trusting the undead. The setup was something like a cult.

Ivy attacked the vamp and was about to deliver a blow to bring about his final death when the witch scion threw himself on her causing her to miss. That's when the I.S showed up. The witch scion resisted arrest and attempted to perform a lethal spell. The I.S runners detected it and were able to redirect it back at him. With his death, the spell making the people docile was broken. The undead was arrested, the people sent to the hospital to get checked out and the black witch's body carted to the morgue. Ivy gave her statement and went back to the church.

When she got back to the church she ran into to Rachel who had finished with her charms and made cookies. As Rachel offered Ivy a cookie their fingers touched and a hot flush came over Rachel's body and she became dizzy and faint. The plate of cookies fell to the floor and Rachel would have followed if Ivy had not caught her. The feeling seemed to intensify then was gone. Ivy asked what was wrong but Rachel said she didn't know but was okay now. Ivy had intended to only stop by the church long enough to change clothes then go report to Rynn. But now she was worried about Rachel and since Jenks was not at home Ivy wanted to stay and watch over her. As Rachel kneeled down to pick up the broken plate and cookies she insisted again to Ivy that she was okay and told her to go ahead and meet with Rynn and that she would be fine on her own. Before leaving Ivy made Rachel promise to go to bed and rest. Rachel agreed and promised to after she was done cleaning the cookie pans. So Ivy left to tell Rynn what happened that night with the undead and the I.S.

After Ivy left, Rachel finished cleaning pans and as promised went to bed. She woke up thirty minutes later soaked in sweat, tangled in her sheets, with her heart in her throat. She had had a nightmare or series of nightmares. She had dreamt about every man she was ever involved with. They had each starred in their very own x-rated dream. But Rachel felt fear because she didn't want to be aroused but in the nightmare she couldn't help herself and it had felt so real. To calm down she took a long cold shower. When she finally got out she was shivering. She was tired but didn't want to go back to sleep if there was a chance she would have the nightmare again. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her skin was very pale and now had a washed out look. Her green eyes were very wide and looked haunted. Rachel was very tired but didn't think she'd be able to fall asleep again. She briefly considered shooting herself with a sleepy time potion but shuddered when imagining herself trapped in her nightmare unable to wake up. Then she remembered that humans had medicine that made them fall into a dreamless sleep. She didn't normally take human medicines but was more open to it since that time she took an aspirin for a headache. She didn't have any human meds but thought that Ivy might have some. Rachel put on her robe and made her way to Ivy's bathroom. She found the pills in the mirror cabinet. After reading the directions she decided to give them a try. Then she noticed that there were only two pills left. After taking the pills she went to Ivy's bedroom to leave a note to let Ivy know that she had used up the last of the pills. As Rachel walked into Ivy's room she breathed in Ivy's scent. Ivy's scent worked to calm Rachel almost as well as the soothing pheromones Ivy put out. Rachel went to the bedside table to leave the note. She sat on the bed and started to write. Rachel paused in midsentence as she wondered how it would feel to lie on satin sheets. She decided to lie down for a moment just to see how it felt. As she laid her head on Ivy's pillow she breathed deeply of Ivy's scent and felt safe and comforted. She was thinking that the next time she got some money she should buy some satin sheets when she fell asleep.

Ivy came home from talking to Rynn. He wasn't pleased about the I.S's involvement but couldn't fault Ivy. At least that was what he said. Ivy bristled at his implied displeasure but could not argue because Rynn was protecting both her and Rachel. Ivy sighed. She was tired. It was morning and all she wanted to do was sleep. As Ivy walked to her room she paused across the hall at Rachel's bedroom door. But she didn't hear Rachel's breathing. Ivy frowned and quietly opened the door to peer in. That's when she saw the disheveled bed. Ivy's nostrils flared the room stank of fear. She became alarmed and started yelling Rachel's name. She checked Rachel's bathroom, the sanctuary, the kitchen, the belfry, mostly everywhere. By this time she was getting more and more worried. The only room she hadn't checked was her bedroom. She opened her bedroom door. And when Rachel's scent hit her so did a wave of relief. Until she noticed Rachel hadn't woken.

"Rachel," Ivy called.

Then Ivy noticed an empty bottle of pills on the bedside table. Next to the bottle was a note that read "Dear Ivy, I'm Sorry." Fear stabbed through Ivy. She jumped on the bed and started shaking Rachel and yelling her name; causing Rachel to finally wake up.

"What, What," Rachel grumbled as she started to bat Ivy's hands away.

"Didn't you hear me calling you," Ivy asked. Fear and worry in her voice.

"No, I was asleep," Rachel replied grumpily.

"I thought you were dead"

"So you thought shaking me hard enough to rattle my teeth would bring me back to life"

The fear and worry on Ivy's face was replaced by anger.

"I thought you had killed yourself," Ivy said.

"I would never kill myself"

"Then what was with the sleeping pills and suicide note?"

"Suicide note?" Rachel asked in puzzlement.

"Dear Ivy, I'm sorry"

Rachel winced. Realizing that Ivy might have a legitimate reason for actions and it was in fact herself that was being an ass. That was also when she fully registered her situation. She was sitting up in Ivy's bed with only a robe on which had somehow managed to fall open during her argument with Ivy. With said vamp straddling her lap. Uh Oh Rachel thought when she noticed Ivy's eyes were black.

"Uh you know what Ivy, you were right," Rachel said. "This is my fault and I'm sorry for yelling at you." "I'm gonna go back to my room now," Rachel said, slowly moving backward.

"No, Don't go," Ivy said in a voice like gray silk.

Rachel froze and slowly turned back to face Ivy. She gulped when she saw Ivy's gaze on her neck.

"Ivy, when was the last time you had blood?"

"About two weeks ago," Ivy replied.

Rachel's fear spiked and she started to sweat. She knew she was pushing Ivy's buttons but was unable to calm down. Rachel yelped when Ivy pushed her back down to the bed and started nuzzling her neck.

"I thought you weren't going on a blood fast anymore," Rachel asked in a trembling voice.

"I'm not, but now that I separate sex and blood," Ivy said, tracing circles on Rachel's neck with her fingers. "I have to find new people that are willing for me to take only blood."

"Ivy I don't want you to bite me," Rachel said gasping. "Remember we talked about this. I don't want to be bound." "Please don't bite me."

Ivy inhaled and exhaled.

"That's not true. You want me to bite you. I can tell." Then Ivy licked Rachel's neck where her scar used to be. Rachel's back arched and she was left gasping.

"Say yes," Ivy whispered.

"Y-No, I said no and I meant it."

"Then why were you waiting in my bed when I got home?"

"That's because I had a nightmare."

When Rachel thought back to the nightmare she had parts of her body tightened, perked up, and got moist. Ivy's nostrils flared and she turned her focus off Rachel's neck. Rachel thought frantically. I don't know how long I can hold out if she keeps playing with my neck but if it's something else… Before she could over think it she grabbed one of Ivy's hands and placed it on her chest and kissed Ivy full on the mouth. Ivy stilled.

Rachel had planned to stop kissing her when Ivy was distracted, but then the hot flush returned and she no longer wanted to stop. And in the end it was Ivy that broke off the kiss.

Rachel grunted and reached for Ivy again.

"Rachel, wait," Ivy said, grabbing Rachel's arms to stop them from wrapping around her neck.

"Why?"asked Rachel in an absentminded tone.

"You kissed me," Ivy said as if that was explanation enough. "Why did you kiss me?"

"I liked it," Rachel blurted out in a wondering tone.

"What does it mean that I liked kissing you?" Rachel asked, alarm clear in her voice.

"Rachel, calm down its okay." "It was probably just the pheromones I was putting out." Ivy said in a calming voice.

Rachel nodded. "Yeah, you must be right," Rachel said in agreement.

"Yeah," Ivy agreed in a dry tone. "You never answered my question." "Why did you start kissing me, anyway?"

"You were vamping out. And you tried to bite me. I remembered what you said about separating blood from sex so I …"

"You were willing to have sex with me just so I wouldn't bite you," Ivy said in a shocked voice. Ivy's face showed disbelief then changed like Ivy had a sudden thought and not a good one.

"You were going to have sex with me then leave," Ivy said bitterly.

_I_ _was hoping it wouldn't have to go that far_, Rachel thought, but didn't say it aloud.

"Ivy, no." "I wouldn't have left because it would have been my fault," Rachel said trying to explain.

"So what you would have just slept with me once and never again," said Ivy, tone still bitter.

"Ivy…. No wait," "That's not… I wouldn't," Rachel stammered.

"What you would have slept with me out of guilt?" Ivy said angrily.

"No, Ivy… damn it, that's not what..," Rachel paused to think of words that would explain exactly what she meant and how she felt. Rachel took a deep breath and plunged on.

"I haven't been close friends with a girl since Jasmin at Trent's dad's Make -A- Wish camp. During my teenage and adult years I've mostly had guy friends. Those friendships never stayed platonic except for Jenks and that's because he's married with over fifty kids."

"What about Marshall?" asked Ivy

"Uh, well we didn't exactly stay platonic either," Rachel admitted.

"You had sex with Marshall," said Ivy in surprise.

"No, but we did something that was more like dry humping." "Anyway, that's not important right now," Rachel said quickly. "What I'm trying to say is I don't normally have platonic friendships and the only reason our friendship stays platonic is__"

"Because I'm not a man," Ivy broke in.

"Ivy, stop interrupting me!" Rachel exclaimed in exasperation.

Ivy put her head down in a show of submission and made a go ahead gesture. Rachel continued.

"The only thing that kept me from sleeping with you is that I didn't know if I would like it enough to do it again. I didn't want to jeopardize our friendship."

Ivy's head jerked up. "Kept?" Ivy asked in a questioning tone.

"Well now that I know you have pheromones that would make me like it…," Rachel trailed off.

"You would be okay with being **made **to like something," Ivy said shaking her head slowly in disbelief.

"Just until I get used to the idea," Rachel said. "The feelings are already there, Ivy, I love you. Sometimes even when you're not pulling an aura I think you're sexy. When you kissed me that first time I couldn't stop thinking about it. I was jealous of Skimmer and Rynn. When you're happy, I'm happy. And when I kissed you I liked it even though it was caused by the pheromones."

"It wasn't caused by pheromones," Ivy said softly.

"What?"

"I only told you that to calm you down. Only if you were bound could I affect your mind and feelings," Ivy explained. "There weren't any pheromones to make you like the kiss."

"Oh," said Rachel


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I've already written the story out but typing it is such a pain that I don't know when I'll upload the whole thing. If anyone cares.

Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine. They belong to Kim Harrison.

Ivy woke in the cool darkness of her room. She lay there staring at the ceiling wondering what made her wake up. She froze when she felt movement beside her on the bed. She looked over and saw Rachel asleep curled up beside her. Rachel snuggled closer mumbling in her sleep. Ivy lay still not daring to breathe. She had thought last night was a dream, a dream like so many she had this past year. As she stared at Rachel's face Ivy slowly exhaled the breath she was holding.

"Ivy?" Rachel murmured.

"I'm here," Ivy answered softly.

Rachel opened her eyes smiled then closed them again.

Ivy wished she could lay here forever just watching Rachel sleep. But today was the day Rachel went to the ever-after with Al. She still wasn't comfortable with Rachel going someplace where she wouldn't be able to protect her. Despite Rachel insisting that she could take care of herself.

Ivy sighed. "Rachel, Rachel wake up."

"What," Rachel mumbled in a sleepy voice.

"It's time to get up, we overslept. You have to go to the ever-after today,"

Rachel groaned. "Just give me five more minutes."

Ivy frowned. As much as she'd like to stay in bed it wasn't practical. Ivy thought back to how Skimmer used to wake her up when she had to go to class. A feeling of recklessness came over her and she leaned over and started kissing Rachel.

Feeling Ivy's lips on hers, Rachel's mouth turned up in a smile.

"Alright, alright I'm up"

"Then I'll go make coffee," Ivy said getting up and walking to the door.

"I could get used to waking up like this," Rachel said.

Ivy turned back with a shy smile on her face before leaving the room. After Ivy left, Rachel lay in bed looking at the ceiling. She sighed. "I guess the hunt's over, huh." Rachel got out of bed and stretched. Then Rachel headed to her bathroom to take a shower. She idly wondered if the perfume Ivy gave her would still work to separate their scents now that they had slept together in the same bed.

Rachel finished dressing and left her room. She followed the smell of coffee to the kitchen. She found Ivy sitting at the table checking her e-mail. She had two mugs of coffee beside her. Rachel plopped down in her chair. Ivy passed her one of the mugs

"Bless you," Rachel said.

Ivy quirked an eyebrow and smiled.

Rachel took a sip and sighed in pleasure. "I wish coffee tasted like this in the ever-after."

Rachel looked up in time to see Ivy's frown before she erased all expression from her face. Rachel winced inwardly. Rachel knew Ivy already worried about her going in the ever-after. There was no need to shove it into her face.

"Do you have everything ready?" Ivy asked.

"Yeah," Rachel replied.

"Do you need anything else?" Ivy asked.

"No, don't worry this will just be another regular day in the ever-after," Rachel answered. _Never thought I'd hear myself say that. _

Rachel sneezed.

"That'll be Al. I better go he's more impatient since Pierce got away-AH-CHOO_," Rachel said.

Rachel took one last swallow of her coffee, picked up her bag and headed out toward the graveyard. Just before she stepped in the line she turned back to see Ivy standing on the steps. She dropped her bag and ran back toward Ivy.

"Did you forget something?"

"Yeah"

Ivy gave an exasperated sigh. "Rachel I asked you twice. How could you _"

Whatever Ivy was about to say was interrupted by the kiss Rachel gave her. Rachel put her arms around Ivy.

""This is what I forgot. I'll be back. Don't worry too much," Rachel whispered in Ivy's ear.

"Okay," Ivy said with a startled look on her face.

Rachel let go and walked back to the ley line. When she stepped on the line she found Al leering at her.

"Well, well my itchy-witch should I take this to mean that you and the vampire are together now. Hmmm, I'm glad you are no longer my familiar. It's hell working around the gnomon-scion relationship. I mean what's the point of buying a familiar when it's going to turn into a vampire or die from blood loss," Al said.

"I'm not Ivy's scion," Rachel said.

"Oh well that's good then," Al said.

"Wait, what_" Rachel started to ask. Then Al grabbed Rachel around the waist and they traveled through the line. Rachel had long since had the knack of keeping her consciousness together and no longer suffered nausea after traveling ley lines.

"Here we are Mistress Algaliarept," Al said with a smile on his face.

They had arrived in a set of rooms the size of a motel room. One room was a cooking area and living room combined. The other room, if it could be called that, was the size of a closet a cot was squeezed in.

Rachel sighed. _It's hard being the student of a very poor demon. _Rachel turned back to Al.

"Still in debt," Rachel stated not really needing to ask.

Al's face lost its smile.

"Come on, switch names with me. Don't you want your name back? You need to make money. There's no way you want to keep living here," Rachel argued.

Al arched an eyebrow. "Are are urging me to go back into the familiar trade?" Al asked in a phony shocked tone.

Rachel frowned. "No….,"Rachel said slowly.

Seeing Rachel's indecision, Al interrupted her.

"No, no my itchy- witch. You'll just have to bide with that name for awhile longer. Besides it's a perfectly good name," Al said.

"Arggh, so what will you do for money?" Rachel asked.

"I'll just sell the curses you're about to help me twist. I suggest we get started, a lot to do before you go back across the lines, unless you want to stay over?"

"No chance. Anyway where would I sleep?"

Al looked around with a sheepish look on his face before he turned back to Rachel waggling his brows.

"Share the bed," Al replied with a leer.

"Ugh," Rachel said with a look of disgust. "And you probably only want to rush because you rented these rooms for only a short while," Rachel said.

Al's face changed hues.

_Hah. _Rachel thought.

"In any case let's get started," Al said adjusting his cuffs. "Take out your spelling equipment."

Rachel took out her large spelling pot.

"Ok add the ingredients I have left out. They're arranged in the order you put them in. Now this curse should be simple even for you. You've seen Ceri twist a curse right?"

"Right," Rachel nodded.

"Normally this is a curse for changing one's eyesight like enhancing your vision. But once we twist it the curse should allow the person that quickens it to influence what the person who takes in the curse sees."

"Are you talking about illusions?" Rachel asked.

"Yes a personal illusion indistinguishable from reality. You can make a person experience anything whatever that person wants. I once saw a fellow die when trapped in an illusion where spiders were crawling on him. Must have had arachnophobia," Al said.

"That sounds… devilish even for you."

"Well it is an unsanctioned curse. But a demon has to pay the bills."

"What? You're breaking the law again! Uh uh. I'm not helping you. Who knows what punishment I'll get for this?"

"What? Are going to go running to Dali? Do you think he doesn't suspect what I'm doing to turn a profit but unless I get caught he'll ignore it. Also after selling a few of these I'll have my old rooms back in no time. No more RENTING."

Rachel now regretted making that snide remark about Al renting these rooms. Rachel rubbed her forehead. "I'm getting a headache," Rachel said.

"Not to worry," Al said putting a finger to Rachel's forehead and muttering some Latin.

Rachel felt a prickling sensation. "Hey what did_," Rachel started to ask.

"Feel better?" Al interrupted.

Rachel thought about it and realized the headache was gone. "Yeah," Rachel said begrudgingly, feeling shocked and suspicious.

"Good now let's go back to work. I already got buyers lined up. We'll meet up with them later," Al said.

"Let me guess at a party," Rachel said.

Al smiled. "I wouldn't say a party just a gathering of likeminded individuals," Al said.

_The demonic criminal underground_, Rachel thought, _just great _


	3. Chapter 3

The everafter or at least the part that Rachel had seen was like an underground city, an underground Cincy. And the building Rachel and Al were headed to looked like a regular warehouse albeit a decrepit one.

"This is the place?" Rachel said with a doubtful voice.

"Yes my witchy student," Al replied.

"Whoever stays here doesn't look like they could afford to pay for the rooms you stay in now let alone pay enough to make these curses worth the risk," Rachel said.

"No one would stay in this place if they had a choice, you are correct; they reside here out of necessity, to avoid jail or banishment. Newt and those other disciplinary sorts won't find them here." Al said as he put his hands on the side of the warehouse as if looking for something.

"What are you doing?" Rachel asked.

"I'm looking for a hidden door," Al replied.

"How are you going to find it if it's hidden?"

"Do you witches not conceal openings and seal them with magic?"

"Yes we do." Rachel said as she thought back to the concealed room in which she, Ivy, and Edden found Denton's body as well as the remains of the undead that had killed Kirsten, Art. This also made her think about the curse she used to seal the door forever. The heat had been so intense that it melted stone and metal. The smut on her aura had increased because of it but the most distressing thing was how easier it had been to take on the imbalance.

"Ah here it is," Al said. Then he muttered some Latin and an opening appeared.

"Let's go," Al said.

Al stepped through the opening and disappeared. Rachel took a deep breath and followed. The opening closed behind her.

The inside looked like a nightclub. Rachel was startled until she remembered walking into Dali's office for the first time. Dali had transformed his office to look like a beach. _So maybe scene changes are normal_. Taking a closer look Rachel noticed that it looked like a sleazy nightclub. And this nightclub was filled with demons dressed like old time mobsters.

"I'm sensing a theme. I thought you demons wore robes and stuff? Except for you and Dali," Rachel said.

"If you don't care about laws you won't care about conforming to society's dress code," Al said.

Rachel looked around again. Most of the demons were in groups doing what looked like gambling. Others were sitting and drinking various colored liquids and snorting lines of what looked like brimstone. And sprinkled among them were scantily clad women: human, witch, elf. They were dancing to music only they could hear. Their movements were mechanical and their eyes vacant. _Just like Ceri's eyes before I made Al give her soul back_. Rachel realized. Rachel clenched her hands into fists and started to stride forward. Al grabbed her arm and jerked her back.

"Careful my itchy witch, we can't afford to have you cause a scene," Al whispered.

"No price is enough to make me ignore how they're being treated," Rachel whispered back incensed.

"I was not referring to money. I was talking about our well being. There's no way we would stand a chance against this many demons some of which have familiars," Al said.

"We?" Rachel questioned.

"Yes, we. You're my student. I'm responsible for you. Do you know what would happen if you were injured or killed while you were with me? Newt wouldn't kill me she'd keep me alive, for awhile first."

Rachel gulped. "Let's call Newt now then."

"Lower your voice," Al hissed. Al tightened his grip on Rachel's arm. "Newt wouldn't be able to catch them all. Then the ones that got away would come after me, us. Besides what do you think happens to a familiar whose demon gets jailed, killed, or banished; they're killed."

Rachel went cold.

"You don't have a scrying mirror on you anyway. Rachel, let it go. If you start something they'll wipe out the both of us. But they might use you first.

Rachel shuddered. "Let go of my arm." Al hesitated.

"Let go," Rachel repeated.

Al released her arm. "I'm glad you saw reason," Al said.

"Al we're going to talk after this is over," Rachel said.

"Yes I expect we will. But for now put on your party hat," Al said.

Al strode across the floor heading to the biggest group with Rachel following. As they crossed the floor, the demons they passed turned to watch them. By the time they reached the group all conversation had stopped. The back of Rachel's neck was prickling from the feeling of so many watchful eyes and she closed the distance between her and Al.

"Capo," Al boomed. "Long time no see. What 's it been one hundred years?"

"Two hundred years. Since that lost souls incident," Capo said.

"Yes well that was bad business all around. So how have you been?" Al asked.

"Oh so so, you know not everyone has an official in their pocket. We expected to see you here with us after that uncommon stupidity charge," Capo drawled.

"I just managed to get away; it took some fast maneuvering not because I have an official in my pocket. I don't have any officials in my pocket. In fact empty pockets are why I came to see you," Al said.

Rachel groaned inwardly. The tension in the room was palpable. _And Al's making bad jokes_. Rachel surreptitiously reached for her gun containing sleepy-time potions at the small of her back. Then Capo smiled. It was an evil smile but the tension dissipated at its appearance.

"I twisted the curse you wanted, guaranteed to work. I made six vials worth," Al said reaching his hand back to Rachel for the vials.

It was then that Capo first focused his attention on Rachel. As Rachel looked at Capo red goat slit eyes, it was like she could sense the evil emanating from him. She broke eye contact and reached into her pockets for the vials. She handed the vials to Al.

Al gave Capo one of the vials. Capo held the vial by two fingers and held it up to light examining it. "Ahhh," Capo sighed. Then Capo looked back at Al.

"How do I know it works?" Capo asked.

Al put his hands to his chest to give the impression of being offended. "I was twisting before I was a hundred," Al said.

"Yes and how many centuries has it been since you personally twisted a curse yourself. I don't see your elf familiar, Ceri was it. I had heard you lost your familiar with the ability to spindle ley line energy in her head. Your new familiar here looks too green to know much," Capo looking at Rachel.

Rachel opened her mouth to protest but Al spoke first.

"Your opinion of my skills wounds me. Familiar or no familiar my skills never diminish. And the witch beside me has considerable skill.

Rachel's eyebrows rose at Al's unexpected compliment of her ability.

One of the demons next to Capo sneered. "You treat your familiars like pets. Teaching them curses and spells like you would teach a dog tricks. All the while you grow soft, "Uale said.

Al's eyes narrowed into slits. Then he looked around at the mindless dancers. "Looks like you make your familiar perform tricks, too."

"Familiars are tools. Making it dance merely amuses me. How you treated that elf familiar was disgusting," Uale said.

Al turned back to Capo. "Well don't worry my skills are as sharp as ever. Now do you want to buy them or not?" Al asked in a cold voice.

Capo stared at Al for a few moments in silence. "I'll buy them if they work, though not on your word alone. I'll test one vial on her," Capo said pointing his finger at Rachel.

"Oh hell no," Rachel said taking a step back.

"You are not testing it on her," Al said.

"Well why not?" Capo asked. "It's obvious you just got her. She's not even broken in yet. If I damage her you can include the fee in the cost. You know if this works you can expect future business from me."

Rachel started sputtering. She couldn't believe Capo was talking about buying her like she was a object.

"Sorry, this witch is off limits. You'll have to test it on someone else," Al said.

"Who?" Capo asked. "I'd be a poor boss if I experimented on my people using them as guinea pigs." "These familiars are little more than puppets," Capo said waving a hand at the dancing girls. "There would be no way to tell if it works if I gave it to one of them."

"You'll just have to find someone else then because as I've said the witch is off limits. Like you suggested you can pay me extra and I'll go find someone and bring them here," Al said.

Rachel thought furiously. _Am I_ _just going to stand by and let Al snatch some person, drag them to the everafter and use them to test a curse which might have some unexpected side effects? And if the person does manage to survive they'll be given over to this gang of demons as a familiar. Like those poor women. _Already her fear caused her to ignore that injustice. Rachel wondered whether Ivy and Jenks would be ashamed that she stood by or thankful that she hadn't rushed into a fight where the odds were against her.

Rachel started to get angry at herself. _This isn't like me_. _Arggh,_ _not taking risks is hard to live by_. Rachel made a decision. _Al and I made those curses perfectly and Al wouldn't let anything happen to me._

"Wait, you can test it on me," Rachel said.

Al's head snapped around.

Capo clapped his hands. "See! Wonderful!" Capo said.

"Rachel what are you doing?" Al asked.

"I won't stand by while you snatch someone and drag them to the everafter to be at the mercy of a gang of demon thugs," Rachel said hotly.


End file.
